SIGNS FROM THE NEAR FUTURE A low tech / high impact case

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low tech

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MAY.8.2014

“Futurist predictions in technology can be exciting or downright scary…”

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MAY.8.2014

That was the first part of the draft of a post I was working on, originally planned to be published on Medium…

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I was inspired by many posts, articles and news I’ve been reading lately, related with innovation in science and technology…

MAY.8.2014

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I read stuff about 3D food printers, new materials, mashups between living organisms and nano technologies, improved capabilities for formerly "dumb" and inanimate things...

MAY.8.2014

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I’ve been reading a lot of stuff, indeed...

MAY.8.2014

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Before keep on writing, I decided to work on the header for the post, instead of using an exisisting image as I did before…

MAY.9.2014

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Since I’m a visual thinker, suddenly I started to see the whole picture… Then I went for the full total synthesis approach and focused just on pictures.

MAY.9.2014

MAY.9.2014

Since we’ve already seen many pics of those technologies -or at least how they’re going to look like- I decided to approach the topic by not to showing them but using something we’re very acquainted to: Signage.

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MAY.9.2014

I chose to show these upcoming advances coexisting with very ordinary places and environments, with a kind of dystopian look and feel given by the signaling and iconic language, cause at the end of the day… the future always is very similar to the present. (It's 2014 already and cars are not flying on a regular basis -yet- and the clothes we are using are far from what the sci-fi movies showed us many times).

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MAY.9.2014

The chosen tools to achieve this were quite low tech: Photoshop to manipulate and retouch the images, and Tumblr to publish and share them.

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MAY.11.2014

After of a couple of days working on them, the tumblr went live: http://signsfromthenearfuture.tumblr.com/

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MAY.11.2014 - DRIVERLESS CARS

MAY.11.2014 - COMPUTER BRAINS SI

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MAY.11.2014 - HOLOGRAMS

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MAY.11.2014 - SYNTHETIC MEAT, PRINTED FOOD

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MAY.11.2014 - EXOSKELETONS, TECH IMPLANTS

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MAY.11.2014 - DRONES (OF COURSE!)

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MAY.11.2014 - ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

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MAY.12.2014

After a few positive comments and feedback on Twitter, it was time for some one-to-one emails to friends and contacts who might be interested in the project…

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FIRST REACTIONS

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MAY.12.2014 - SMART CONTACT LENSES

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MAY.15.2014 - JETPACKS (WANT ONE PLS!)

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MAY.16.2014 - OVERSHARING

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MORE COMMENTS…

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MAY.19.2014 - DRIVERLESS TAXIS (QUIET TAXIS?)

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MAY.20.2014 - SMART GLASSES

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MORE REVIEWS AND SHARES…

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MAY.21.2014 - ELON MUSK’S HYPERLOOP

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MAY.23.2014 - PAYMENT THROUGH VEIN SCANNING

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THE BIG TWEETS

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MAY.29.2014 - AUGMENTED REALITY SHOPPING

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MAY.30.2014 - GOOGLE CARS

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JUN.2.2014 - PRECOGNITION

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JUN.2.2014 - WOUND HEALING WITH LASER

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JUN.9.2014 - CRYOGENICS

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high impact

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Apparently, the project went… “viral”.

BUZZ, REACTIONS, CONVERSATIONS

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BRAZIL, FRANCE, NETHERLANDS…

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ARGENTINA, BELGIUM, MÉXICO…

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GERMANY, ITALY, UK…

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USA, JAPAN, CHILE…

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GLOBAL ...?

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GLOBAL ...?

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GLOBAL !

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"The images feature a range of different near-future scenarios, such a street sign warning of drones overhead, a butcher's counter advertising synthetic, 3D-printed meat and a sign warning that hyperloop travel exposes passengers to G-forces..."

“...it's only a matter of time until our bathrooms have signs that prohibit smart lenses, or restaurants that have anti-vaping icons. This project is certainly on to something."

“Fernando Barbella imagines a dystopian future, where we’re being watched and warned at every turn. Streets don’t just have yield signs and stop signs; they have yellow warnings that drones are watching.”

"Set in familiar settings like super highways and public bathrooms, the photos reveal a slightly twisted tomorrow that, at first glance, might seem more mundane - even sinister, at times - than your typical sci-fi theorizing."

“Scientists and major technology companies are promising incredible changes that could shift what the world looks like just years from now. Designer Fernando Barbella is both entranced by and concerned with what all of these changes could mean, and he's created a series of images that depict what a not-so-distant year might look like with all of these advancements."

“Smart machines, synthetic biology, and other sci-fi technology are slowly making their way into our daily lives. Phrases like “Left lane free for driverless cars” and “15% off on synthetic burgers!” could be the new stop signs and promotional offers of the world in which we live.”

"The future will appear, not in leaps and bounds, but on a moving sidewalk, gliding onward just smoothly enough that it doesn't shake you into recognition. It's still going to take decades for California to complete its futuristic high-speed rail line, for example; when it arrives, it's still going to look like a train."

“As humorous as these images are, Barbella tell us he also wants viewers to "think about how far—and how fast—we want to go in this kind of technological race.”

“The future is simultaneously an exciting and terrifying place. Hoverboards: exciting. Constant Orwellian surveillance: terrifying. Progress is inevitable. And so these signs, created by this brilliant tumblr will undoubtedly be commonplace sooner rather than later.”

REVIEWS

“An uncanny look at the near future: Fernando Barbella gives us a prediction of what the near-future might look like. The signage, at least.”

“Subtlety is a key part of the design, Barbella says. The idea is not to trumpet the oddness of the signs, but rather to emphasize their "normalness" by placing them in very ordinary settings.”

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"First things first, we're just going to come right out and say it: The Signs From the Near Future tumblr is a must! It features road signs, airport signs, supermarket signs - you name it - strategically altered to reflect the very possible realities of the future, whether that be tomorrow, 2030 or beyond. Most importantly, though, they're smart, well thought out and greatly executed, making them super believable."

“As these advancements rapidly develop, the graphics that supply messages to us - whether commercial or cultural - begin to change, realized in the public and urban landscape. From drones to jetpacks, the gadgets are eerily interpreted on parking, supermarket and airport signs, demonstrating how these high-tech devices will pervade our everyday life."

"The question is not if these signs will ever exist but rather when they will be rolled out (we might have to wait a while for the jet pack though). Fernando Barbella’s signs are really exciting but they are also a reminder that each innovation will bring its fair share of new problems, especially concerning privacy and ethics."

“Fernando Barbella has done what science fiction writers have attempted to do for generations by imagining a world not too different from our own but where life is ever-so-slightly different. It's not the people that have changed but the signs around them as they go about their daily lives.”

“Avec cette série de photomontages “Signs from the near future“, l’artiste Fernando Barbella créé une signalisation qui pourrait bien être réelle dans quelques années. Les nouvelles technologies comme des voitures volantes, hologrames, drones, et puces electromagnétiques, devront aussi se plier à un code de conduite collectif!”

REVIEWS

“The best part of Barbella’s work is that these world-changing technologies are shown in the most ordinary of settings. He’s managed to craft a world of mundane cyberpunk and, in doing so, has made it very easy for us to imagine ourselves living in just such a world very soon.”

“A new blog, Signs From the Near Future, humorously imagines an urban future in which familiar scenes eerily reveal how smart technology might alter the way we live. Some changes seem to be positive innovations in sustainability, others hint at an all-seeing, all-knowing city that has perhaps become too smart.”

“When you look at these photos, prepare to have your whole concept of reality shattered. The future is happening right now!”

“Aside from the addition of a whole lot more screens, daily life for most people doesn't look much different than it did 10 or 15 years ago. But if scientists and eager startups are to be believed, the next few decades will be busting at the seams with dramatic, sci-fi inspired innovations. Fernando Barbella explores what signage will look like when we have to absorb all of these innovations into human culture.”

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SOME NUMBERS

Twitter Tumblr

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SOME NUMBERS

In less than 10 days, the images were shared and retweeted more than 180 times on Twitter.

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LEARNINGS & TIPS

Neither formalities nor press releases: all the mails sent to friends and contacts as well as those sent to journalists and editors, were written in a colloquial and close tone and manner. Short stories travel faster: both the mails sent proactively and the mails answering questions about the project were short and straight to the point. No social begging: nor a single tweet asking for RT’s was sent. Quick movements and fast reactions: most of requests for stories on media were answered in less than 8-10 hours. Content is king: real engage with people comes when you give them something to talk about (they’ll love it, or they’ll hate it, worst of cases, they’ll ignore it); it’s not a question of promising rewards, prizes and that kind of stuff. J: be thankful with those supporting your idea and be nice with those criticizing it.

Thank you everyone visiting, sharing and commenting on the "Signs from the near future" project, it's been a blast! Thanks a lot, I'm really astonished...!

Fernando Barbella @Grizzluza